One Mind
by InfinitySpring
Summary: They don't know me; just as they thought I didn't know them... Their secret stirred the air... I saw past the monsters, the money, and the endless talent they all seemed to possess. I had no fear clouding my mind when I first met them. Would they fear me when I told them? I had put this off for far too long, and now I had no choice but to let them know there is a price on my head.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Since I probably won't remember to put this on future chapters, I don't own Harry Potter, Twilight, or any other pop culture reference in this fanfiction. I hope everyone enjoys what I do with the caracters I borrowed though! Happy reading...**

Prologue: Two Can Keep a Secret if One of Them is Dead

They don't know me; just as they thought I didn't know them. Their secret stirred the air. Everyone was aware of their presence. Only, they weren't conscious of it. No, the people of Forks knew they were different, but they didn't have to see the changing color of their eyes or the way their skin was ice. They didn't have to notice that the family only when the sun went out, or that food was never eaten from their trays. They were too afraid, albeit unconsciously, to look past the surface of the seemingly perfect family.

The good looks worked for the Cullens in some ways. Allure was a useful tool to explain away any oddities. After all, it's a common stereotype that those that are of high genetic stock are aware and cocky of their luck in life. Some call it snobbish. I call it a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you treat someone a certain way because of certain superficial notions, then the person would fill that role no matter their intent of character.

I saw past the monsters, and the money, and the endless talent they all seemed to possess. I had no fear clouding my mind when I first met them, and I had learned long ago that listening to gossip borne of idle minds was nothing to put stock in. Because I was able to see past the stigma of the rich and powerful, and more importantly, the stigma of their species, I was able to gain something so transcendent and wonderfully ideal. These beautiful creatures were fighting the same war as me. They did not know it, but my whole life I had fought for the protection of love. Peace, the same peace that the Cullens fought their very natures to achieve, was threatening my world.

So, here I stand in the forest with Edward. I can see the love burning with the intensity of his soul, but also the fear and uncertainty, as he prepares to tell me his secret. I know he fears rejection. He fears I will look into his eyes and not see the boy I love, but the killer lurking within him. I never would. All my life I had learned that the ones who possess the remorse and self-reflection to be able to see their vile side are the ones that can move past it. Everyone has that monster within them; human, vampire, and magic folk alike. So how could any fight it if they refuse to acknowledge its presence. Edward was _good_ because he had the knowledge and strength to know that he could be _bad._

Sometimes I wondered if I was the bad one. I had never seen my magic as evil. The power from my wand was never used to gain power, and certainly never to kill. But, right now I felt that, if I didn't tell him of the danger I was putting him in, if I let him open his mouth and give me his soul, I would be setting this beautiful man up for devastation. I opened my mouth, to say what I don't know, but Edward spoke first. If he was human, I know his voice would have shaken.

"Bella, I'm a vampire."

I looked at him, waiting for his eyes to meet mine, and when they did I smiled. "I know."

My heart soared and dived at the same time as a breathtaking smile split Edward's face. There fear from earlier was gone, and now only love shone through. He stepped forward and rested his forehead against mine. His eyes drifted shut as he breathed in my scent, and his smile never wavered. As his thumb caressed my cheek, I know I should be feeling elation, but all I knew was quilt. I had my chance to tell him, and I chickened out. I felt like I had already doomed us before we even started.

"I love you," Edward breathed into the embrace.

"I love you, too," I whispered back. He would never know my voice was clogged not from the happiness, but the new weight pressing on my chest.

 **A/N: Who wants more? Let me know with a review pretty please! Thank you for taking the time to read :)**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter One: The Cullen You Wouldn't Expect

I have to admit that I'm not overly fond of flying. It was ironic, based on all the lure and conjecture of my kind, but when I was miles above the surface of the Earth and the only thing protecting me, aside from my reflexes, was some hunk of metal, I couldn't help but feel I had no power at all. Fate would do with me what she will. But when I was on my feet, deeply rooted to the ground, I was fearless.

Rather than admitting that to my mother I told her I couldn't possibly part with the rusted hunk of junk of a truck that she got for me when I turned 16. I told myself that was the good plan in the long run. After all, it meant that I had transportation while I was living in dreary-USA. Bonus! I would also get to skip flying… Did I mention that I hate flying? So, yeah, there were upsides. Downside? I was stuck driving a 24-hour trip that was now on its second day.

I itched my head as I squinted into the early morning sun. God, I hope that the motel didn't give me lice. That's just what I needed. Not only would I be on display at a new school, but I would have to miss the first few days because of lice! I shuddered. Maybe I should have cast a cleansing spell on myself before I left. No matter, I still had a good ten hours of driving to do before I reached Forks. If those buggers are breeding up there then I would notice it by then and take care of it. What else was there to pay attention to besides the road? The radio didn't work in this thing; so it was just me and my thoughts.

I thought about the new school, and wondering how long it would take for people to realize I was a freak.

I thought about being bored in class and pretending that I would ever use any of this crap later in life.

I thought about the one jacket I owned and how I would have to go shopping.

I thought about how nice it would be to see my father again and maybe reconnect.

I thought about the bird that dived just in front of my truck. How can he be so in touch with Earth and Sky?

I thought about all the trees surrounding this small town, and how at peace that would make me feel.

And, I thought about the nearest mechanic as my truck broke down directly in front of the 'Welcome to Forks' sign.

"If that isn't a premonition, I don't know what the fuck is," I growled to myself as the truck slowed to a stop in the side of the road. Outside, the cloud cover was total and a heavy drizzle of rain wet the ground- well, rewet it. It was doubtful that it every completely dried here. I guess a hike in the rain didn't sound too bad right now. At least this way I would have a plausible reason to learn the Earth of this place. I would feel much more comfortable sleeping somewhere when I knew the energies around it.

The door of the truck, or Big Red as I liked to call him, creaked loudly as I stepped out. It broke the comfortable silence of nature and made me cringe. I wish it wasn't such a big stigma to reject some of this modern technology. I would much prefer to walk to the school in the mornings, but I know that I would show up wet with signs of the trees and ground on me and the kids at the school would label me odd right from the start. How you could judge someone for doing something good for their body and the earth at the same time, was beyond me. Still, it happened. Someone would offer me a ride in their vehicle every day and would be offended when I turned them down. I would tell them they could walk with me in the mornings, and they would think I was having them on. After all, it was quicker and easier to use a vehicle each day. They didn't understand the Earth around them. So, I would get labeled a freak… again.

"Would you like some company walking?" A deep velvet voice asked.

I'm not sure if I gasped or not when the voice snapped me out of my musings, but I was so surprised by my lack of detection of any life energy near me, that I wheeled around and promptly slipped on the dirt under my feet. The newcomer saw this happen and rushed forward to help me. He was… very large. It wasn't in a bad way. In fact, that was practically one of the most perfect human beings I had ever seen. It was in a wrong way though. The eyes; you could tell they were made to cause fear. The skin was paler than it should be with lips so red. And the muscles, while perfectly shaped and functional, worked like there wasn't any weight on them at all.

I didn't shy away as I should have when his hand stretched to help me up. Instead, I joined mine with his and felt myself being hoisted to my feet. It was odd, knowing that it should have taken at least some effort from me. The giant of a man in front of me seemed to think that it was an entirely appropriate use of strength. There was no indication of any effort it would take to lift 120 pounds with one hand. He didn't even seem to tense and relax as anyone did from even lifting a cup. He was in one position and then the next with no in-between. How was this creature in society? Surely, everyone could see all these signs.

But then, maybe there was something good, something redeeming, about them if people were able to overlook their obvious instincts of danger. I wouldn't out this creature yet. No, I would observe and make sure that the people of this town were safe. If it came to a fight, I could take it, but it would be wiser to avoid bloodshed. There were so few of my kind, and I knew personally that we were sometimes judged on sight as well. Just because a being is powerful did not mean it was dangerous. It had the power to choose to be dangerous, but that did not mean that the potential would ever be realized. It was best to wait and see why the pattern weaved creatures of immense power into its design.

I smiled at him. "I would love some company."

He seemed a bit taken aback by my answer, and let out a booming laugh, like agreeing was the biggest joke of the universe. Unease tried to eat at me again, but I managed to squash it. I had just decided to give this creature a chance, and all it took was a laugh to shake my will. How dreadfully pathetic I was sometimes. He didn't give me a chance to contradict myself before slinging an arm around my shoulder and walking with me down the road.

"So, what brings you to town, you fearless lady?" _What an odd thing to say._

I wrinkled my brow, wondering what I should tell this stranger. Was he trying to ask her something deeper, or was he just using a cutsie nickname to make her more comfortable? She decided that vague, but truthful was the way to answer his question.

"My father lives here."

He nodded. "How old are you? You look like someone who would live with their father."

Again, I noticed that he phrased his questions so odd. Anyone one else would ask if I went to school here, or where my mom was. He was searching for more than a quick answer. He actually wanted to know. He was fishing for information. At this point, I could choose to be incredibly rude and give him the cold shoulder, or I could try to give another vague answer. My curiosity on how this would play out won the battle in my head. I would volunteer some information as a gamble, a show of faith that this creature could be good.

I shrugged. "I'm 17, and yeah. I live with my dad now."

He dropped his arm from my shoulder and turned to face me slightly as we walked. He obviously wanted to see my face as I answered his questions. "Now?" he asked.

I nodded, but offered no further affirmation. Hopefully, he would take that as a sign that I didn't want to talk about that particular subject. He did, but the next topic of conversation was almost as bad.

"So do you go to school here?"

"Starting tomorrow, you'll have a new classmate," I told him with what I wanted to be a cheeky grin but ended up being more of a grimace.

He laughed a booming laugh again. "Oh, the gossip!" he outraged dramatically with his head thrown back, and his eyes wide.

I let out a small chuckle. Well, at least this creature could understand some of the private annoyances that came with being an outcast. "I'm Bella Swan." I held out my hand to shake as a symbol of comradeship. He took it with easy grace and no hesitation.

"Nice to meet you Bella Swan. My name is Emmett Cullen." He gave me a cheeky grin that made the dimples in his cheeks dominate.

"Nice to meet you," I echoed before releasing his hand from the shake.

"So you just walking for fun?" he asked.

"Yes, and no. Yes, I'm walking because I refuse to buy a cell phone, and find it more fun to enjoy the moment than connect instantly. And no, because I'm really only walking right now because my truck broke down a ways back," I rambled.

His brows drew in in confusion. "You don't like speed or convenience?" he asked quizzically. I, having heard the same question from many people in very condescending ways, didn't stop to think that he didn't mean it in an offensive way and immediately jumped down his throat. There are times that I wish that I could turn time back 5 seconds just to give me a moment more to think before making a decision.

"Hey! Just because I'm not all about instant gratification, doesn't mean I'm not worth it! My cares are just as important as yours, and my care is to understand and experience everything instead of racing through it in hopes that I may get to a day that It _want_ to stop and actually remember. So, no; I don't like speed or convenience. I think they are the path to a lazy mind and weak spirit. Your spirit strengthens with each journey we take and making the journey so trodden is weakening souls. Soon, all the fight will be bred out of humans and they will fall!" My chest was heaving with emotion, and I noticed that the guy had put some space between us and was looking at me with wide eyes.

He cleared his throat. "Woah, that's some- uh- deep shit," he paused to look at me. "Are you sure you're 17?"

That question was the one that proved he was more than an average human. Anyone else would be wanting to put me in a mental ward with some of the things I just spouted, but he actually understood. He knew those words were not of someone average, just as I had been aware of his words since the beginning. Good. This made things easier. If he didn't know what I was then I could just be written off as an anomaly. He thought he was the most knowledgeable, and probably oldest and wisest, being in the area. He was cocky enough to not follow his instincts of increase, and that would give me the advantage. I was taught to never underestimate an enemy, and Emmett Cullen still had the potential to be an enemy. I would keep any information I had to myself and just wait for his next move. I could gather intel and assess the situation, and the lack of contact would increase the time it took for them to make any move on me.

I chuckled a bit. "Yeah, I'm 17, but my mother always called me her middle-aged daughter." I shook my head, actually relaxing enough to miss my mother a bit. "Guess we all can't have the devil-may-care attitude."

Emmett's chest rumbled out with another chuckle. "God, you need to meet my brother, Edward. You two are two peas in a pod."

"Why do you say that?" I asked him.

"You're both gloomy little shits with too much time for thinking on your hands," he laughed. I opened my mouth in outrage, but his large hand tosseled my hair like I was his little sister, and I didn't feel like he was offending me anymore.

I gave a mock bow. "The pessimistic philosopher at your service."

Emmett laughed again. He seemed perpetually jolly. "I like you, Bella Swan," he said affectionately.

I blinked at him. "Surprisingly, I like you too, Emmett Cullen," I told him, entirely truthfully. My eyes scanned the area, and I was startled to see that we were now in the small town, just about to pass the area's police station. "This is me," I told him, pointing my thumb to the station. "Thanks for the walk. I'll catch you later."

He opened his mouth as if to say something but seemed to change his mind, He snapped his jaw shut and gave me a small nod with a smile. I waved awkwardly before turning around, and he returned the wave with a small amused smile. Hopefully, my father was working and I wouldn't have to walk all the way home. I would surely run into Emmett if I did, and wanted more time to think about our situations. I probably wouldn't be prepared by tomorrow, but I had a better chance.

As the doors closed behind me, I had the strangest feeling that I was being watched.

 **A/N: Now, I'm sure some of you now realize how different this is from the original book and have some strong opinions about that. I'd like to hear your thoughts (as long as they're nice)! Haha let me know the good and the bad! I really like to hear how to improve. Predictions and desires about where this story is going are welcome as well! Happy reading :)**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Two: Woes of Big Red

Charlie wasn't at the station when I arrived, but one of the officers recognized me from a picture on Charlie's desk and informed me that he should be back soon. I asked the officer if there were any decent mechanics around, and instead of answering my question, he wanted to know why I was inquiring. I had always been taught that it was rude to answer a question with a question, but couldn't be too offended. After all, this was a small town. Everyone knew everyone else's business. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, and instead just told him that my truck had broken down a few miles down the road. He immediately called a tow truck for me. I didn't really want to pay upwards of $100 just to get the hunk of junk off the side of the road, but I guess it was something that had to be done. I never did get an answer about the mechanic.

When Charlie arrived an hour later, he seemed surprised but happy by my presence. He gave me an awkward hug and a gruff, "Good to see you, Bells." He looked me up and down and noticed my slightly damp and ruffled clothes. "I see you've been out an about already," he chuckled.

I gave him a small smile. Charlie knew how I loved the outdoors. I was even more enamored with them as a child, and Charlie would often find me up in a tree or deep in the forest when I lost track of time. He always told me that I have my mother's adventurous spirit. I didn't know if he knew the secret then, or if he knew it now, but I always pretended he didn't, and Charlie seemed okay with that. He was the type that didn't need the details. He could tell if someone was a good person without knowing every little detail of their lives. I envied him that. Always, I tried to keep an open mind, as my conversation with Emmett would prove, but there were times when my preconceived notions got the better of me.

"Yeah, my truck kinda broke down just as I got to town. I ran into Emmett Cullen and he walked me here," I told him. Charlie's eyebrows rose a bit at this admission, but he made no comment other than to say that was nice of him. Damn! I guess I was gonna have to find some other avenue to gather information about the family.

After talking to his deputy for a minute, and gathering from me that my truck was already being towed, Charlie drove me home in the cruiser. We didn't talk much, but we had no need for it. This had always been one of my favorite things about my father: he didn't feel the compulsion to fill silences with inane small talk.

Big Red was the side of the road by the driveway when we got there. There was a receipt on the windshield that said the bill had been paid. How odd. I suppose I would have to thank that officer later because he was the only one who knew my truck was getting a tow.

The door of the house squeaked when it was opened, and the house had the fresh scent of cleaning products. Of course, Charlie wouldn't care much about cleaning for himself, but he would always try to spruce the place up when I was around. I wondered how long that would last while I was here.

The house was just as I remembered: from the old recliner in the living room, to the ancient coffee maker in the kitchen, to the purple comforter on my bed. It made me smile. I could always count on my dad to be a stable and comforting person in my life, despite the fact that I didn't see him very often. We ordered pizza since the kitchen was void of any useful groceries, and ate in front of a sports game.

Remembering my earlier question, I asked Charlie if he knew of a mechanic that could look at my truck. He immediately perked up and called his friend Billy Black. Apparently, his son, Jacob, was rather good at fixing cars. I had vague memories of playing with someone of that name when I was young, but couldn't put a face to them. A couple minutes into the conversation, Charlie covered the receiver and turned to me, "Hey Bells?"

I hummed in answer.

"Jake was wondering if he could talk to you through some troubleshooting so maybe you can take your truck to school in the morning."

I grimaced. I didn't really know anything about vehicles, and was not very confident in my ability to work on them; but what could it hurt? "Sure." I took the cordless up and walked outside.

"Hi Jacob," I said.

"Hey, shortie! Bad luck already, huh?" he asked me like we were old friends, which I suppose we were.

"I'm not short! For all you know, I could be six foot tall after all these years," I defended.

He laughed. "Sure, sure. So, tell me about this truck. What's the make and model?"

"Uh, it's a '53 Chevy Pick-up… I can't really tell you any more than that."

Again, he let out a joyful laugh. What was it with this town and perpetually happy people? Wasn't the lack of sun supposed to give people S.A.D or something like that? "How'd it brake down? Any sounds or smoke or anything?"

"Uh, no. It just stopped and the steering got a bit harder," I told him.

Jacob hummed. "Okay, I think I know what happened, but do me a favor and try to start it up just in case."

"You sure?" I asked. "It's very loud. I doubt you'll be able to hear me."

"That's fine. I'll wait and listen."

The engine roared to life when I turned the key, and I was a bit taken aback. I didn't expect it to start. It sounded quieter than it ever had before. Huh. Maybe I should have tried that before I walked into Forks. I could have sworn it was dead though.

I killed the engine and picked up the phone to talk to Jacob again. "Well, that's weird. It was dead just a few hours ago." I frowned to myself.

"Huh, well if there's no smoke or anything I'd say it's okay to drive it to school tomorrow. I'll be by after to take a look at it for you. Just take it easy," he advised.

"Thanks a lot, Jake. You just saved me from a police escort to school tomorrow. I really appreciate it." My voice rang with the sincerity of my words.

"Sure, no problem. I'd offer to drive you myself, but I can't legally yet, and I go to school on the Res." A small flare of disappointment sparked in me at these words.

"That's fine. It would have been nice to have at least one friend there, though," I admitted as I walked back to the house.

"If people there can't see how cool you are then you can borrow a couple of my friends," Jacob joked. "I got a couple I've been trying to pawn off for a while now."

"Psaw, second-hand friends? I think I'll rough it," I teased him back with a little laugh.

"Fair enough. Guess you'll have to just make do with me." I could hear the smile in his voice and it made me feel warm like I might actually be able to be friends with Jacob.

"I'd like that," I admitted. "But we'll have to see how good a mechanic you are first. All my friends have to earn their keep."

Jacob mock gasped. "You doubt me already? I'm hurt. I don't think I can be your friend anymore, Bells."

"Haha," I said dryly. "But really, I appreciate you doing this for me. You weren't wrong about my bad luck. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow it is! It was nice talking to you, Bella."

"It was nice talking to you too, Jacob. See you tomorrow." I clicked the phone shut with a small smile, and looked up to see Charlie regarding me with a knowing look.

"What?" I asked him. He just shook his head and turned back to whatever he was watching on the TV. I excused myself to my room to unpack and get ready for the next day, and before I knew it, the alarm clock was blaring at me to get ready for school.

 **A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed, followed and favorited. I really appreciate it! Feel free to share any thoughts or critiques. This was a bit of a teaser chapter because the next one is going to be so long. Next chapter will be up soon and hopefully be a good surprise for everyone.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Window to the Soul**

I managed to arrive at the school early despite putting a little extra care into my appearance that morning. I didn't bother with make-up, but I did wear some of my nicer jeans and a red sweater, along with my only jacket. Shopping was still something I had to make time for, as much as I hated it; the weather wasn't going to get warmer anytime soon, and I desperately needed a coat.

My fears of being out of place seemed a little silly when I pulled into the lot. All of the teens were pulling up in cars nearly as antique as mine, and their clothes were for warmth and comfort. Granted, I could still see a couple of kids who were obviously trying to impress with their dress, but even they had nothing on the people back in Phoenix. It was probably because people couldn't show as much skin here.

However, my fear of being noticed was not imaginary. All eyes in the lot seemed to notice my approach, and I could see people putting their heads together to whisper as I exited Big Red. I tried to ignore the stares and whispers, but it was harder than I would have liked. A silver car pulled into the spot a couple down from mine and gave off the distinct (and previously missing) impression of wealth in this town.

My eyes followed the car, and I mentally berated myself for staring in the same manner that I was being stared at. I was just about to glance away when a tall, hulking figure I recognized exited the car. Emmett's smile was huge when he spotted me.

"Hey Bella!" he boomed. I gave an awkward smile back, and a small wave, but the giant was already distracted by the beautiful blonde woman next to him. She had smacked the back of his head in a way that made me want to cringe, but he took in the good humor with which he seemed to take everything in life. There were others exiting the car around him, but I looked away quickly. I wasn't in the social mood that it would take to make eye contact with anyone, and I didn't want to get caught staring. I still hadn't figured out what Emmett was, but based on the girl who smacked him, he wasn't the only of his kind. I didn't need to get sucked into that just yet.

Mrs. Cope, as the nameplate read, was all too eager to ask about my life when I entered the office. Charlie had obviously been talking about me, and Mrs. Cope seemed to be hoping for gossip to pass on to the people of this rainy town. I didn't give her much to go off, and her disappointment was palpable as she gave me a map and my schedule, along with a slip to get signed by each teacher. I guess they didn't trust teenagers overly much. I can't say I blame them.

My first classes of the day were uneventful, unless one counts overeager males, and attention seeking females following me around. I knew it was an oddity to have someone new move into this school, but this was just ridiculous. They invited me to sit with them at lunch, something they obviously believed to be an honor, and I reluctantly accepted while reminding myself that I was trying to go for normal while I was living with Charlie.

The table was crowded to say the least, and I found myself sending longing glances to the empty table at the other side of the room while the attention was not focused on me. As I was watching, who I assumed to be the Cullens walked over from the lunch line, the complete embodiment of grace and power, and deposited their trays on the table. It hit me then, when I couldn't see their eyes. _Vampires._

It was Emmett's eyes that threw me off to begin with. His eyes were not ruby as they should be. I had never met a vampire before, and all the books said to look for the eyes, but there was no questioning it. They had the grace, the power, and the cold skin. Were they a new species that had yet to become commonly know (common to those in the know, that is)? Did they do something special to change their appearance, or was it only Emmett with the different eyes? I had to know. Without even realizing it, I had gotten to my feet, and made to walk to them.

"Bella?" Someone, I believe it was Jessica, asked.

"Hmmm?" I hummed out distractedly, my eyes still not leaving the Cullens. She had obviously followed my staring.

"Ah." She said, as if she understood. "I wouldn't bother if I were you. Only one of them is single, and he doesn't date. I don't think any of us are pretty enough for him." I turned away then, arching an eyebrow at her in slight amusement. She must've heard herself and looked down with a slight pink tinge to her cheeks. I chuckled lowly, and turned back, still on my feet, to meet a set of startling golden eyes. I just managed to hold back a gasp at the intensity of them, but I could feel that the smirk had left my lips. Perhaps these vampires were more dangerous then I gave them credit for if one of them could do that to me with only a look. I refused to look away though, and I saw him slowly stand as well. He was beautiful, true, but he looked frustrated at something, and I wanted, no, I _needed_ to know why.

I took a step around the table and towards him, and he seemed to be drawn by each movement I took. Like magnets, the closer we moved, the stronger the pull became. Abruptly, I stopped. I was half a dozen paces from him, but I had just realized what I was doing. He seemed to realize at the same time that I did, and he shook his head, as if to break from a trance.

"What the hell?" I whispered to myself, actually taken by surprise. He seemed to silently agree to the sentiment, and tuned on his heel to go back to his table. "Wait!" I called out without thinking. The man stopped and cocked his head at me in question, but unfortunately he wasn't the only one who had heard, and the whole cafeteria had seemed to go quiet at my yelling. I felt a hundred eyes on me, but his were the only ones I saw. It was too quiet and I was uncomfortable at all the attention. I felt my cheeks heat up, and I shook my head and whispered, "Never mind." At that, I turned away from him, and quickly left the cafeteria. So much for being normal.

It was brisk outside, and the rain stung my skin making me feel alive. I breathed in deep, feeling the moisture in the air and smelling the musk of the Earth. It helped to ground me, and I allowed my eyes to close. My toes twitched as my bare feet longed to connect with the earth, but I refrained from removing my shoes to walk around nature and fully calm myself. Instead, I simply allowed myself to bask in the energies around me. Then I felt it.

No new energy encroached on me. Instead, there was simply a break in the auras around. It was a small hole in my vision, but I knew it could only belong to one of the vampires. From what I could remember, no one knew the origin of _Vampyre,_ and the fact that their auras didn't merge with the Earth's made me believe that they came from another plane, be it alien or celestial, or perhaps trans-dimensional. I laughed at myself. I'd been reading too much Vonnegut and Wells, apparently. It would make sense that, since they did not conform to the usual confines of time, they possess an innate ability to manipulate it. But, no. That did not make sense either, I'd have to give this more thought later. The hole in the auras was nearly behind me now.

"Hello." I turned, forgetting to feign surprise and was met with the golden eyes that had so captivated me across the cafeteria. They were darker now, but I only noticed because of my intent staring.

"Hello."

"My name is Edward Cullen. I apologize for turning away from you earlier," he said in a silky smooth voice. It made me want to drop my guard.

I furrowed my brow at him to cover up that feeling, "What an odd thing to apologize for."

Then he took me by surprise. He laughed. It was a full-hearted belly laugh, and I couldn't help my answering smile. "Why, yes. I suppose it is," he agreed. "Though I can not say that normal is a word often used to describe me."

"Nor I, to be candid." I said.

He hummed in agreement. "Even though I have only spoken to you for less than a minute, I would have to agree with that sentiment, Bella Swan."

I shot him a look of mock outrage over my shoulder, then shrugged. If I was honest with myself, I hadn't really thought I would fool anyone for long. "How'd you know my name anyway?" I asked him.

"Doesn't everyone?"

"Truer words," I agreed. "But everyone else calls me Isabella when we first meet."

"Ah," he hedged, not seeming to know what to say. I didn't want it to get uncomfortable enough for him to leave.

"The rain always helps me clear my head. It's like it washes all my problems away and reminds me that there is so much more to the world than the stuff going on in my messed up brain," I told him.

"An interesting perspective," he mused. "Most teenagers believe that the world does revolve around them." He shook his head. "No. Most people believe that. The only reality that exists is the one that we believe does. So few people seem to realize that they can encompass the whole world in their reality. We are a selfish group."

"And what do you believe?"

Edward looked surprised at being asked about his own thoughts, and he took a second to answer. "Me? Well, I believe that no matter how we perceive existence, we are shaped by our surroundings. One single encounter can change the way one thinks in an instant. For example," he gestured to our surroundings."I don't believe I'll ever think of rain the same way again."

I smiled at him. "Then you have my respect. It takes a great deal of introspection to realize that our normal perceptions can be shaped by external forces. Stubbornness can be a useful trait, but has no place in our ability to learn and adapt. I would much rather grow everyday for the rest of my life, than believe that I held all the answers. Can you imagine the amount of pressure that would put on a person: knowing everything, but being unable to change anything?"

"So you believe humans to be powerless?" He asked. There was no judgement in his tone, but he did seem a bit bewildered.

"In a way, yes. We all rely on so much to just keep us alive. We require sustenance, space, and time, as well as some indefinable qualities in order to live. You can know all there is to know about such things and still be a slave to them. We can manipulate how much and when we require those aspects, but none can go indefinitely without. On top of that, things like temperature, and air quality can kill our bodies easily. Micromanaging our lives can give the illusion of greater purpose to some, but the end is always the same." I gestured around me. "We go back to the earth. We become rain, and soil, and trees. Shouldn't that be what people strive to preserve?"

"Hmm. Deep thoughts, but many would rebuff your argument by bringing up the afterlife. Do you believe you have no soul, Bella?"

I furrowed my brow. Not coming from a religious upbringing, I didn't much think of the soul. Sure, I thought of energies and magic. How could I not, but a soul was something completely different. "If you can tell me what a soul is, Edward, I suppose I can try to tell you if I believe I have one."

His lips pulled into an almost indecipherable frown. He opened his mouth to answer, but the bell rang at that moment. "Perhaps another time. I believe we are due for class."

I sighed and turned to walk back, "I wouldn't dread class so much if they consisted of topics like that."

Edward flashed me his teeth. "That is what college is for. What's your next class?"

"Umm, Biology I think. Would you mind pointing me in the right direction?"

"No need," Edward said, "We share that class."

I tried not to let my excitement at this show, but a small smiled pulled up the corners of my mouth anyway. "I'd say: small world, but it's really the size of the town that is small."

"Truer words." he echoed me from earlier with a nod of his head.

I noticed him take a large breath of fresh air before he opened the door to the school, and I realized that he had been standing upwind of me this entire time. I filed that information away for later. It seemed that air travel had an effect of how strong my scent was, and I wasn't going to take that for granted.

Sly glances and even outright staring followed us as soon as we entered the school. I tried to ignore it, as I had been all morning, but I could feel my cheeks heat up in embarrassment against my will. I saw Edward try to stop a smile out of the corner of my eye, and I let my hair fall forward in an attempt to hide the redness of my face.

"You don't like attention," he said. It wasn't meant as a question, but I answered anyway.

"No, attention doesn't agree with me."

"Good luck with that," he said with a slight chuckle. "I do not believe that it will go away for some time, though the intensity of it will die down in the next few days."

"Lucky me," I grumbled. We reached the door, and two things happened in quick succession. First, Edward opened the door for me, and I had to pass very close to him, much closer than we had been walking. Second a swivel fan from the front of the room turned to blow my scent directly into Edward's face. His eyes blackened and his body went rigid.

"Shit," I swore under my breath. That seemed to break him from his thoughts long enough for me to step quickly into the room and out of the air flow. Clean air flooded his face and his posture relaxed infinitesimally. "Edward," I spoke calmly and slowly. "You don't look like you are feeling too well. Perhaps you should go to the nurse." It was true. He didn't look like he was feeling well at all. His eyes were glazed and almost feverish. He looked lost and in pain. My words were phrased as a suggestion, but they were anything else. I maintained eye contact, hoping that, if he was reminded that I was a person, he would not do anything he would regret.

He stared back at me, the crazed conflict clouding his sight. Then, every so slowly, he exhaled and gave a curt nod. He was out the door in a second. My deep breath didn't help me to calm myself as much as I would like, but I reminded myself that I did not want to get close to these vampires and should not be feeling this regret at him leaving. When I looked up, half the class was seated and staring at me. My face flamed again, and I quickly got the teacher to sign my slip before finding the seat he had directed me to.

That class and the last of the school day passed in a blur. My mind kept returning to the tortured look in Edward's eyes, the crazed and broken look that would never leave my memory. For the first time in my life, I was actually able to believe in souls because I saw his in that moment.

He was in the parking lot by the time I had returned from dropping my slip at the office. His eyes were sad, and something inside me told me that he was leaving. I gave him a small smile which he tried miserably to return. "Good luck," I whispered. His face fell. I turned my back and had driven off before he could see the traitor tear leak from the corner of my eye.

Maybe Edward was not the only one with a soul. Something in me recognized something inside of him, and for the first time I prayed that there was something more than the energies around me. I prayed there was something deeper, because, if there was no reason for the pain of separation to this man that I had only met hours before, maybe I truly was as insane as the rest of the world saw me.

 **A/N: As always, I try to keep any author's notes brief. I just wanted to thank you all for any follow/favorites and reviews. They make me happy! The more reviews I get, the more excited I get about writing... *hint, hint* So drop me a line if you like it, or if you have any thoughts. Still looking for a Beta. So, all mistakes are my own! Hope you enjoyed!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Age is Just a Number**

My thoughts that night were slightly somber. Something was changing, and, good or bad, I was along for the ride now. I grieved for the peace that I had possessed until this point. Humans were chaotic creatures. So we often didn't recognize true peace and calm until it had ended because of how many trivial problems our minds concocted. The chaos my mind created over the past few days had to do with my dislike of flying, attention, and the annoyance of possessing opposing views to my peers. I was ashamed to say that I had fallen into the trap of annoyed complacency that plagued so many entitled people.

There was something happening to me now, though, something that brought with it a promise of upheaval. I saw it in the look in Edward's eyes, and I saw it within myself, too. Indefinable qualities, the very ones that I had said earlier that humans needed to live, were pressing on me and urging me to do something. I had no idea what it was, and was left with no other choice than just behave like I normally would. If I paid enough attention to my own intuition, hopefully these changes on the horizon would not spell disaster.

With dinner on the table, and thoughts swirling through my head, I retreated to the comfort of my bedroom. I had a small amount of homework to do. Of course, it was math. I never had a fondness of the subject. It tried to confine everything to over-simplified to baser rules than most things actually adhered . Regardless, it was something that society felt necessary knowledge, and I would power through.

Twenty minutes and one headache later, I had finished. It was time for a break. Though it was still lightly drizzling out, a trip outside sounded appealing at the moment. I needed some time for introspection and to clear my head. That wasn't possible really plausible with the sound of a sports game drifting up the stairs. If I was in my house in Phoenix, I would climb out onto the overhang just outside my bedroom window that led to the lower roof. As it was, this two story house didn't have a roof for me to climb out to. I looked out my window wistfully and saw a few tree branches that were close to the house. In fact, one of the larger ones brushed my window.

With a pleased smile, I eased it open and tested the sturdiness of the branch. It bowed a tiny bit, but not enough to worry me that it wouldn't hold my weight. People often saw me as clumsy, which was not completely inaccurate. When I was in buildings, surrounded by inanimate objects, it felt like I was missing a sense and often didn't see objects in my path. I know that I relied too much on my connection to the earth, but it wasn't something that I was willing to change about myself. More so, my yearn to be close to nature tended to get me hospitalized. I would take chances that most people would not. This was one of those times. The moisture on the window sill caused my foot to slip forward, and my head made contact with the branch before I had time to react, and blackness overtook me.

I knew I was in the hospital before I had opened my eyes. It was loud, like it always was, and I could hear low voices not to far from me. My brain still too groggy to actually listen to the conversation, but I voiced my displeasure to the disturbance by groaning and bringing a hand up to my eyes to block out the low light that was in the room. Many people think that hospitals are supposed to make you comfortable, but that's untrue. Those room are designed to make you as comfortable _as possible_ while still being able to see and monitor your whole body. The effect was that there was always a source of light, and there always seemed to be something chirping or beeping. On top of that, nurses and visitors were constantly shuffling around and speaking in low voices. In short, 'as comfortable as possible' was not very comfortable at all.

With my disgruntled noises of discontent, the occupants of the room must have realized that I was awake, and their conversation cut off as footsteps approached. "You know, it's rude to talk with someone sleeping in the room," I told them with my eyes still stubbornly shut.

I heard a chuckle somewhere to my right. "I apologize, Miss Swan. I thought if you slept through being moved to the hospital, some talking wouldn't bother your rest. Clearly I was gravely mistaken," the voice teased.

"Apology accepted. Now shoo," I said with a lazy wave of my hand to what I assume was the door. I let my hand fall back over to cover my eyes.

"I just want to check your reflexes, and then you can go home and sleep in your own bed," he said, with the amusement still heavy in his voice.

I groaned again before admitting defeat and cracking my eyes. "If that's what it takes to get some peace and quiet, you have yourself a deal." My eyes had adjusted harshly to the light, but I was finally able to see who was talking to me. It was a pleasant looking man with a small smile on his face and those all to distinctive honey colored eyes. "Man, is this town swarming with Cullens or something?" I asked without thinking.

His eyebrows raised at that. "Yes, two of my children did mention that they had met you." His smile turned into more of a smirk. "You do know how to make entrances don't you?"

I groaned again. I had now met three of the seven resident vampires. One of them had found me with a broken vehicle on the side of the road. I then proceeded to rant about the end of the world, I think. With the second, I had made some weird scene with in the cafeteria, and then had some weird deep conversation about the nature of souls. Then, I had to suggest he leave me alone so he wouldn't try and drink my blood. Now, the third had seen me wheeled into the ER and been dismissed before I even bothered to open my eyes. It was official, I was an idiot, and this man, who I assumed was a doctor- a _vampire_ doctor- was teasing me about it!

"You could work on your bedside manner," I told him dryly. His smile widened, and I pretended I did not want to return the gesture. "So, what's the damage?" I asked as he got his penlight out and started checking my pupillary reflexes.

"Luckily, just a concussion," he told me. "You're fortunate you didn't get more hurt than you did. Since you got knocked out before you hit the ground, your body must've been relaxed enough to not sustain any further injuries."

"Yep. Lucky me. I only managed to knock myself out on my second day here," I said sarcastically. "Where's Ch- Dad?" I asked.

"He just stepped out for some coffee while I checked you over. Would you like me to get him back?"

"No, not necessary. I'm sure he's spent long enough in this room while I was sleeping." At this point, Dr. Cullen was checking my strength and coordination. I, having been in this situation enough times, didn't need the verbal prompts to know when he wanted me to push, pull, or touch my nose.

"Everything looks good. Would you mind if I checked for tenderness?" he asked me.

"Go right ahead, Doctor."

"You can call me Carlisle," he told me. "My children seem to be fond enough of you that I'm sure I'll see you outside of these hospital doors often enough."

"Alright, but you have to call me Bella. I don't know about this 'Miss Swan' shi- stuff."

Carlisle chuckled again. Apparently, I was a comedian tonight! "Of course, Bella. Now that we're better acquainted, would you mind telling me how you fell out your bedroom window?" His eyes sparkled with humor, but he didn't actually laugh at me this time. My cheeks became hot with embarrassment, and I looked away from his gaze.

"Well, I just wanted to get in that tree, and apparently water and climbing don't mix. Who knew?" I shrugged like it was no big deal, but I felt pretty silly about the whole thing now.

I didn't have to look at him to know that he felt the hilarity of this situation. "You know," he said, matter-of-hand. "Some of my patients try to lie about why they are here, but I don't think you could lie if your life depended on it, could you?"

"Maybe if my life depended on it," I hedged. "But probably nothing short of that," I admitted with a sigh.

"No need to feel bad," Carlisle said seriously. "Honesty is a rare and underappreciated trait anymore. Genuineness is to be treasured, because so few people are able to genuinely be themselves. People only lie because they want you to perceive them as something other than they are. If you have trouble lying, it just means that you don't want to be anyone other than who you are."

I met his eyes, and could feel the sincerity encased in his words. How peculiar he was to see to the heart of the matter so easily. That was the second time today that I was surprised by the depth of wisdom in these creatures that were supposed to be nothing more than killers. "Thank you," I said softly. "Perhaps we always do wish for the worst things for ourselves. I would wish for the ability to lie, or to stop being so clumsy, but without those things, I wouldn't have understood the things I do, and I wouldn't have met the people that I have... Wise words from a very young doctor."

"Yes, well, age is quite subjective, don't you think? I have met many 50 year-olds who could throw tantrums like toddlers, and still some children who can take care of their parents when something unpleasant is happening. To judge on age would be as large a mistake as to profile on looks. Some hint of the truth could be gained from both, but there are far more lies associated with stereotypes than truths because we are all individuals." Carlisle scribbled something in my chart quickly and then closed it up. He did not seem upset by my words, just curious about my thoughts on the issue.

"So you believe conversation is the way to understand a person?" I guessed.

"Hmmm, yes and no. Conversation is an excellent way to get to know a person, but, as I said, people do have a penchant to lie. Therefore, the process is flawed. I believe the only true way to know a person is by the passage of time. Thus is why age is subjective. We can only know people as they grow through time, otherwise we know them not. No one is their complete self at one single moment in time, and to boil them down to how many revolutions they have taken around the sun is a lie that will never be proven true."

"Ah, but surely you can see that one would affect the other. Age, race, looks, gender they all show a snippet of the story behind a person. They may not be saying with words who they are, but they are communicating in a very real way all the same. All of these things together can say much more than a conversation ever could if you know how to look.

You, for example, are dressed impeccably with very expensive shoes. Your scrubs are ironed and your hair is well taken care of. This shows that you care about your image, and it is important to you to maintain. There are no bags under your eyes, meaning you either take very good care of your health or you ignore your five children. I would have to guess the former because they, too, have a finely polished look, but also because you smile and laugh too easily to be cruel or neglectful. You're a young doctor, which means that you are smart, and you're working late at the ER with a good attitude. This tells me you are very intelligent, but you work because you care about people and not because you feel you have to." I squinted at him. "All in all, I'd say you pass."

He raised his eyebrows a mite. "That's quite the list of observations, Bella. I have to wonder if you attention to detail is a learned trait or something intrinsic within you. But only time will give me answers to these questions about your person." He smirked again, like he believed he won this argument, and I couldn't help the laughter that bubbled up inside me.

"Touche, doc," I chuckled out.

Carlisle finished with his exams and gave both me and Charlie instructions for home care. I was grateful that there was no need for me to actually be admitted to the hospital. As much as I dreaded school, I dreaded being stuck here more.

"Glad you're okay Bells," Charlie said as we exited the hospital. "You gave me quite the scare. Heard you hit the ground there." Charlie shook his head. "Only you, kid."

"Sorry dad. Sometimes I act before I think," I told him.

"Don't I know it. You're gonna have quite the bruise for school tomorrow."

I just let out a gust of air. This fitting in thing was not going quite as I had hoped. Tomorrow was another day. Perhaps it would bring me some luck.

 **A/N: Thanks for reading! I know it's short, but it seemed a very organic place to stop. I appreciate all the follows favorites and reviews. Keep them coming. I have a plan for this story, but if there is something that any of you want to see, just let me know! Till next time...**


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